The GRE Graduate Record Examination is the most widely used graduate admissions exam in the world. Required by thousands of master's programs, doctoral programs, and even some MBA programs across the United States, Canada, Australia, and beyond, the GRE tests the verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing skills that graduate schools consider essential for academic success.
The GRE was significantly redesigned in September 2023. The revised version is approximately 1 hour and 58 minutes long, nearly half the length of the previous version, which makes it more accessible for today's students.
GRE Revised Format (2023 onwards)
Section | Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|
Analytical Writing Verbal Reasoning Quantitative Reasoning | 30 minutes 41 minutes 47 minutes | One 'Analyse an Issue' task (Argument task removed in 2023 revision) Two sections of 12 questions: reading comprehension, text completion, sentence equivalence Two sections of 15 questions: arithmetic, algebra, geometry, data analysis |
Results are available within 8-10 days. Verbal and Quantitative sections are each scored from 130-170. Analytical Writing is scored from 0-6.
GRE Score Requirements by Program
Program Area | Competitive Verbal | Competitive Quant |
|---|---|---|
Engineering / Computer Science Business (non-MBA) Social Sciences / Humanities Biological Sciences MBA programs (accepting GRE) | 155-162 157-163 158-165 153-160 157-165 | 163-170 157-165 152-158 155-162 157-165 |
GRE vs GMAT
For MBA applicants, both GRE and GMAT are now accepted at most top business schools. GRE is generally preferred by students also applying to non-MBA programs, or those who find GMAT's Data Insights section challenging. The GMAT focuses more tightly on business and management reasoning skills and may still be the stronger signal at highly competitive MBA programs. For non-MBA graduate admissions, GRE is typically the only option.
Preparation Tips
Start preparation at least 8-12 weeks before your test date
Quantitative content does not go beyond high school maths, but question types require specific strategies
A low Analytical Writing score (below 4.0) can raise red flags at competitive programs, so do not neglect it
ETS official GRE prep materials are the most accurate reflection of the actual test
The shorter revised GRE means each question carries more weight accuracy matters over speed
How Gemini Education Helps
Our team can identify GRE score requirements for your specific target programs, help you build a realistic preparation timeline, and ensure your testing schedule aligns with graduate application deadlines.
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